While automation has already been introduced into the manufacturing industry over 60 years ago, the manufacturing environment has been shifting to a new digital age that demands greater flexibility and complexity. The emergence of new robotics applications such as mobile robotic platforms and collaborative robotics offer new compelling advantages for manufacturers to increase their competitiveness.

1) Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) for Industry 4.0Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) are becoming widely accepted in manufacturing, being deployed in a broad range of environments and applications. Production processes have long been automated, but the movement of material continues to be a manual process. AMRs are a part of an overall Industry 4.0 movement which aims to connect processes, products and people through a variety of digital technologies and automation. This session provides an overview of the opportunities to automate material movement and the capabilities that are important when considering autonomous mobile robot delivery solutions within Industry 4.0 initiatives.Mr. Aldo ZINI, President &CEO, Aethon, Inc, United States of America

2) Mobile Inspection Robots for Better Business ProcessesRobots are approaching the tipping point of being useful enough, and yet cheap enough, to be commercially deployed to improve productivity. In this talk, the speakers survey mobile inspection robots that are particularly useful for large target areas where setting up infrastructure for inspection is too costly or impossible. Use cases include robots used for security, item localization and identification, building inspection, underground inspection, etc... As a key take-away from this talk, participants will explore how the robotics and multi-modal data analytics or signal processing work together to collect and condense the vast amount of information to be presented to end-user, extracting only important information for human to analyse and react. This results in new work flows to ensure humans and robots work seamlessly together. Another area explored is on SenserBot's robots deployed for locating RFID-tagged items and highlight how the key technologies brings value to the end users.Dr. HO Chin Keong, Dy CEO & CTO, SenserBot Pte Ltd, Singapore3) Innovative Robotics Solutions - Blue Ocean Robotics ExperiencePeter Tan’s presentation will cover how Blue Ocean Robotics has successfully followed an unconventional strategy by becoming an incubator positioned at the intersection of academia, the government/public bodies and existing industries - and how it has been possible to create more than 15 robots, establish 32 companies and employ more than 110 people in just 4 years. The presentation will include examples of the work and robots that have been made as well as the enterprises from industry sectors as diverse as Healthcare, Construction, Education, Agriculture & Fishery, Offshore, Safety & Security, and Manufacturing.For the Manufacturing sector, Peter will touch on the Mini-Picker, the first standardized Bin-Picking system. This system enables robotic arms to see, find and grip components randomly placed in pallet bin and boxes by combining flexible robots with the standard Mini-Picker software suite, the advanced tool unit includes gripping technologies and an integrated vision sensor system; and the ReconCell, an easy to reconfigure and re-program work cell, making robot solutions commercially viable even for small batch size productions by reducing setup and maintenance efforts substantially. The work cell can replace its grippers, reconfigure and adjust itself to fit the required production setup. With a user friendly control interface for effortless interaction. Peter will also touch on how this strategy could be replicated here in Singapore and the ASEAN region.Mr Peter TAN,Chief Executive Officer, Blue Ocean Robotics SEA Pte Ltd, Singapore

4)Trusted Automation for Smart FactoriesThis talk outlines the disruptive impact of I4.0 in terms of testing and certification, with a focus on robotic automation. It provides an overview of the current challenges and introduces the ongoing developments in bridging standard testing and dynamic updates towards continuous certification. As the pace of technology advancement surpass legislators and standard bodies, stakeholders in technology development and adoption carry the responsibility to mitigate the risks for scalable and dependable automation technology. Continuous certification requires consolidated effort from all stakeholders, requiring a rethink of the tools and technologies we use for system design and operation today. Dr. Martin SAERBECK,Principal Technology Consultant, TUV SUD

5) New Automation Opportunities for SMEs with Collaborative RobotsCollaborative Robots offer new opportunities for SMEs to automate their processes in ways not previously possible. Universal Robots’ simple programming interface can be picked up in a matter of hours and a huge range of plug and play accessories available on the UR+ platform significantly simplify the integration process. This coupled with a built in safety system and small footprint mean the robot can be rapidly deployed and redeployed in a wide range of scenarios, at a price affordable to a small company running small batch production. In this presentation we will discuss the processes that are commonly automated by SMEs using collaborative robots and the benefits in doing so. Mr. Andrew PETHER,Technical Communication Consultant, Universal Robots (Singapore) Pte Ltd

13:05 - 14:00

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14:00 - 14:30

Keynote 1: Innovations in Construction Service Robotics

In this talk, several construction robotics projects carried out in NTU will be introduced, such as a high-rise spray painting robot (Pictobot) and a building quality assessment robot (Quicabot). With new actuators, low cost sensors, and open source robotics software, infrastructure robots represent a new breed of intelligent systems that help society to overcome manpower shortage and ageing workforce issues. These projects are examples of user-led and user-inspired robotics R&D effort led by government agencies, universities, research institutions, and industrial alliance of local and overseas robotics and construction machinery manufacturers, start-up companies, and systems integrators. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the robotics R&D capability in Singapore and to foster a robotics industry and ecosystem that transform Singapore into a Smart Nation.Professor CHEN I-Ming, Professor, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

This session will delve into recent efforts and future plans to conduct AV trials in Singapore and identify the key challenges faced when operating such systems in our densely urbanised environment. It will also cover various long-term government policies and technology roadmaps that will help prepare the general public, technology developers and commuters for the future deployment of such technologies.

1) MOT's Vision of AV in SingaporeThe presentation will share MOT’s vision for AV deployment in SingaporeMr Titus SEAH, Ministry of Transport, Singapore2) Experiences in Conducting the AV Trial at One-NorthThis presentation will share about the needs of achieving self-driving capabilities, the current achievements and challenges in the futureDr ENG You Hong, Postdoctoral Associate, National University of Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore

3) Towards the Next-Generation Fleet Management SystemsThere is considerable interest related to management of fleet of autonomous vehicles in both academia and industry. Robust and reliable commercial deployment of fleet of autonomous vehicles is impeded by the lack of the following two technologies. First, an integrated approach is lacking that can encompass all different aspects of the problem, including mobility models of vehicles, communication network and application environment, customer demand prediction, and real-time information about the transportation network.

Second, autonomous vehicles are still in trial phase, hence sufficient realistic field data may not be available in next few years. An integrated simulator can prove highly useful in bridging that gap. Such simulators would still be highly useful once the technology matures as they would provide an effective platform for developing further applications involving fleets of autonomous vehicles. In this presentation, we will give an overview of our progress in both these directions.Professor Justin DAUWELS, Deputy Director, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, Singapore

Robots are our future colleagues. They are an integral part of the transition from a traditional industry towards industry 4.0 or as the Dutch call it, smart industry. Over the years they have become more intelligent, aware of their surroundings, safer and cheaper. Robots are no longer a standalone machine, designed to execute one task. Societal challenges have put a lot of pressure on the existing workforce In Singapore. The country struggles with a labour crunch, low productivity and a rapidly ageing population. In 2015 the Singaporean government announced the National Robotics Programme. Budget has been made available for research, living labs and test beds and the enabling of mass adoption. The Netherlands is facing similar challenges. The government, universities and the industry, designed the smart industry action plan. This action plan focuses on robotics, 3D printing and internet of things. The main pillars of this action plan are expansion of knowledge, set-up and acceleration of field labs and fundamentals for the success of smart industry. Design is driven by industry demand.

This session will explain the Dutch approach towards smart industry, but also emphasizes the importance of collaborative projects that go across borders by highlighting examples of Singapore-Dutch collaborations.

Symposium 3: Next Generation of Healthcare Delivery - How Robotics Can Drive the Transformation

There is a need for healthcare delivery to change as the environment changes with technology, connectivity, social needs, and demographic shifts. In this symposium, speakers will explore how robotics can play a major role, offering various perspectives on the challenges and strategies for robotics adoption in healthcare, robotics for home-based healthcare and the application of robotics for different countries.1) Challenges & Strategies for Robotics Adoption in HealthcareMr LEE Eu Gin, Assistant Director, Centre for Healthcare assistive & Robotics Technology, Singapore2) Robotising Domestic Home Based Healthcare: Can Robotics Enable Caregivers

Tele health services like remote vital signs monitoring has been around for some time. It has been used by transitional care services, long term home care services and primary healthcare services to monitor for chronic disease. Home robotics will give the family and healthcare services a new and more powerful element of monitoring and support. Robotics at the present consist of a remotely controlled tele presence machine which can be used to communicate with patient remotely and not requiring the patient to operate. It might seem invasive to the norm but for a frail elderly staying at home alone with worried children out working, it can be an effective platform to relieve stress and worry for all. Home based robotics can also act as a “trojan” house, with many other services and alert system integrating into the robot. Think of a mobile “Amazon echo” or a voice activated communication deviceDr TAN Jit Seng, Founder and Director, Lotus Eldercare Pte Ltd, Singapore

3) Robotics and the Broader Disruption for HealthcareRapid technological progress has changed and will continue changing both the face and delivery of healthcare. Artificial intelligence, augmented/virtual reality and robotics are changing many aspects of our lives, including and especially healthcare. Though this disruption may take a while in a sector still regarded as relatively traditional and lagging behind in terms of technology adoption. The transformation foundationally involves the digitisation of human processes and actions. Robotisation is part of this and thus contributes to enhancing healthcare efficiency, whether working side by side with or replacing humans for some of the more routine or mundane tasks.

Will they support or replace jobs? Are they to be trusted or feared? Even more so, when will some of these robots show emotions and become viable as a real buddy for lonely people?Dr LOKE Wai Chiong, Executive Director, Deloitte & Touche Enterprise Risk Services Pte Ltd

The keynote presentation will include a general overview of the startup landscape in Singapore and its robotics vertical. ACE will delve into its capabilities and role within this startup ecosystem. Entrepreneurs will also gain insights into the funding scheme for SMEs.Mr. Edmas NEO, Executive Director,Action Community for Entrepreneurship

2) Rise of Robotics Investing OR Is Venture Capital Ready for Robotics (VC Panel) Robotics startups have raised over $3B in funding since 2012. According to CB Insights, 2016 was a record year that saw 174 deals, largely driven by growth in the enterprise sector from industrial automation to last-mile delivery. M&A activity culminated to around $1.9B – 50 companies were acquired with 11 exiting for more than $500 million. From unmanned aerial systems and agricultural applications to medical and service robotics, we are gearing up towards a phenomenal 2017 with growing investor interest and momentum. Mr Shohei MAEKAWA, President, Leave a Nest UK Ltd, JapanMr James ONG,Partner, Supply Chain Angels SingaporeMr LIU Gen Ping, Vertex Ventures, SingaporeModerator:Mr Kelvin ONG, Executive Director, FocusTech Ventures, Singapore

15:30 - 15:45

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15:45 - 17:45

Symposium 5: Singapore: Can We Assume a Leadership Role for the Regions?

This theme attempt to address the challenges and shed light on the technological adoption and making of robots in North America, Europe and Asia. In China, factories are replacing humans with robots in a government-backed, robot-driven industrial revolution. The pace of disruption across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area is unique, accelerating the full chain of activities to “source-make-deliver-consume-reintegrate” products and services, and at the same time, offering tourism and entertainment avenues. In other key growth industries (service and agriculture), we discuss the opportunities and challenges in various countries. The evolution of robotics software and data-driven approaches – like workflow optimization, deep learning, and reinforcement learning - will have an important role in reducing barriers obstructing widespread adoption, enhancing human acceptance of robotics and expanding the allowance of collaboration.

1) A Perspective from North America Europe: Evolution Robotics Software for Products and EcosystemsValue creation in the domain of robotics does not only happen with good software – it will happy more and more with data. Data-driven methods, in particular machine learning, are enabling breakthrough results in the space of visual perception and speech recognition, both of which will enable many new robotics applications. In the space of robot actuation, however, we do not have access to enough data (yet) to allow similar advancements. The goal Industry 4.0 initiatives is enabling data collection from robots and machines. This data is used to improve and create new robot capabilities that will enable new and optimize existing applications. Using data-driven approaches, security, safety, and privacy technologies are becoming relevant key components for the future advancement of robotics technologies. I will discuss current initiatives in the US and Europe, the important role of ROS, and current applications that have already been enabled by data-driven methods.Professor Dr. Ing. Torsten KROEGER, Director, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

2) How can Singapore-Based Robotics Company Venture into China?China with each region at different stages of development and therefore having different needs. China’s focus on expanding urbanisation presents many opportunities, especially in second and third tier cities.,opportunities across infrastructure, technology that Singapore companies can explore in different regions in China.Mr Jason TAY, General Manager, ASIAN Chamber of Commerce

3) Building Networks and Growing the ASEAN Robotic AssociationASEAN Robotic Association serves as a platform for companies to exchange best practices and engage in constructive dialogue with government stakeholders in ASEAN & China to provide a more efficient and competitive environment for foreign robotics companies,promote trade and investment as vehicles for inclusive growth and prosperity.Mr Jason TAY, General Manager, ASIAN Chamber of Commerce

4) Application of Robotics in Malaysian Agriculture - The Robotics Plant Factory Project and InitiativeAgriculture is one of the key industry in Malaysia that relies heavily on manual labour. This sector also contributes signiﬁcantly to the GDP of the country, job market as well as the economy for the small and medium industries. However, due to the highly manual and laborious nature of the industry coupled with strong decencies on foreign labour has made the growth of this sector rather stunted. Robotics and Automation has recently been seen as one of the viable solution to this problem by injecting technology into the production and supply processes for agriculture in Malaysia. One of the initiative undertaken by the public and private sector collaboration towards application of Robotics in Malaysian Agriculture is the Robotics Plant Factory project to grow high end vegetables for the urban consumer market. The speaker will be able to share his own personal experience in this project as well as the national framework for the adoption of robotics and automation in Malaysia. Some recent progress will be shared during the forum.Dr Ishkandar BAHARIN, President, Malaysia Robotics and Automation Society (MyRAS)

Closing Symposium: Growing the Adoption of Robotics Solutions in Singapore

The proportion of the world’s manufacturing and service tasks that are automated is set to expand very rapidly in the next decade. Singapore is well-placed to drive growth in the adoption and development of robotics and automation solutions in the region. The government is investing in bringing public agencies and companies together to develop a vibrant robotics and automation ecosystem. Engineering companies like ST Kinetics are well poised with the technical know-how to enable automation solutions to be effectively packaged and made easy for adoption. The speaker shall share on how smart automation solutions can be promoted for wider adoption by local industries to spur higher productivity and efficiency.Dr. LEE Shiang Long,President, ST Kinetics, Singapore